Portable staging



Sept. 1, 1970 Q D. R. STEVENS 3,526,296

PORTABLE STAGING Filed March 26,, 1969 2 Sheets-Sheet l Daniel R Stevens IN VENTOR.

I BY @nw Anomqs LIT Sept. 1, 1970 D. R. STEVENS 3,52

PORTABLE STAGING Filed March 26, 1969 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Daniel R. Stevens IN VENTOR.

nited States Patent 3,526,296 PORTABLE STAGING Daniel R. Stevens, 17 College Ave., Water-ville, Maine 04901 Filed Mar. 26, 1969, Ser. No. 810,472 Int. Cl. E04g 3/12 US. Cl. 182-45 1 Claim ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The present invention relates to scafiolds and more particularly to portable staging adapted to be supported by a building structure.

On the average, it takes a mason and one tender approximately one and a half to two hours to erect a rooftop staging or scaffold comprised of wooden planks and braces. The time expenditure is due to the necessity of manually driving nails into the joining points between wooden brace members. For example, when a wooden staging is used for topping chimneys, three nails are generally used at each point where each brace is connected. Sometimes, the braces may crack or split, particularly at the joining points. As the weight of workmen is exerted upon the weakened staging, the wooden braces may split entirely thereby presenting the likelihood of physical inury.

The present staging is fabricated from a number of lightweight metal braces simply assembled and disassembled by inserting and removing swivel-type pins at the joined points between braces. By using these swivel pins, one pin may be inserted and locked into position before a single nail can be driven into the joining point of connecting wooden braces. As a result of the present invention, a significant portion of the erection cost of a scaffold is eliminated. Because the present staging is made entirely of metal, it is inherently more safe. The danger of breakage is far less than that of wooden staging. Also, by utilizing the present metallic structure, greater immunity to weather is realized. The present invention includes frictional pads to engage a building structure thereby rendering greater stability to the staging.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating the disposition of an assembled staging on an inclined roof.

FIG. 2 is a partial sectional view taken along a plane passing through section line 2-2 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a partial sectional view taken along a plane passing through section line 3-3 of FIG. 1 illustrating a nonslip pad for the staging.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along a plane passing through section line 4-4 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along a plane passing through section line 55 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view illustrating an extension for the staging of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 1, reference numeral 10 generally indicates the present staging or scaffold which is seen to be supported on one side of a downwardly inclined roof side '12 having a chimney 14. The staging is positioned 3,526,296 Patented Sept. 1, 1970 to straddle the chimney 14 so that work thereon can be accomplished.

The brace members of the staging include a base constructed from two parallel spaced braces 16 having upward hooked ends 18. The hooked ends are adapted to overlie the apex portion of the second roof side 22. A non-slip pad generally indicated by 20 engages the apex portion and assists in stabilizing each hooked brace end.

Referring to FIG. 4, it will be seen that the upward hooked ends 18 are contoured outwardly as indicated by 24. The non-slip pad 20 is more particularly characterized as a channel member having oppositely disposed sides 26. The base 28 of the channel member includes a concave recess 30 for receiving the aforementioned hooked end 24 therein. The curvature of the hooked end edge and the recess are substantially the same to permit near engagement threebetween as the hooked end 18 pivots with respect to the recess. When the staging is erected upon a roof, the angular relationship between the hooked end 18 and the non-slip pad will be selfadjusting so that the base 28 of the pad remains parallel to the roof surface. In order to achieve frictional engagement between the roof and the pad, a non-slip block 32 is recessed within the bottom surface of the channel base 28. As seen in FIG. 4, bolt fasteners 33 are countersunk within the block and secured to the base 28 of the channel member. The fasteners secure the block to the channel member. In order to create a connection point between the pad 20 and the hooked end 18 of brace 16, an aligned transverse bore is formed through the oppositely disposed channel sides 26 of the pad and bushings 34 are pressfitted therein.

A bore 35 is formed in the central body of the hooked end 18 so that alignment between the bushing centers and the bore 35 is achieved. A locking fastener generally indicated by 36 is inserted through the aforementioned aligned apertures to retain the hooked end 18 in pivotal securement with the pad 20. In particular, the locking fastener 36 is characterized as a swivel lockpin having a head 38 connected to an elongated shaft 40 which terminates at an outward end thereof in a clevis 42. A tabular member 44 is disposed between the elements of the clevis and is adapted to rotate therebetween by means of a clevis pin 46. As illustrated in FIG. 3 during the insertion of the pin the tabular member 44 is swivelled to a colinear position with respect to the elongated portion 40.

However, once inserted, the tabular portion is pivoted to a perpendicular position with respect to the elongated portion 40 thereby preventing withdrawal of the locking pin from its interlocking engagement with the pad 20 and the hooked end 18 of brace 16.

Referring again to FIG. 1, the downward end portion of the hooked braces 16 are seen to connect to pivotally mounted vertical braces 48. The connection therebetween is made by the lower bifurcated end portion 50 of each vertical base 48. The downward end portion of brace 16 includes a number of aligned apertures 52 therein. The bifurcated end 50 of vertical brace 48 includes a transverse aperture therein so that the bifurcated end portion may be disposed in alignment with one of the apertures 52 in the brace 16. When the bifuracted end elements are positioned over brace 16, a swivel lockpin 36 is passed therethrough and set to a locking position as hereinbefore explained.

In order to rigidify the vertical braces 48, a connecting brace 54 is connected therebetween in interlocking engagement. To effect engagement, the outward ends of the connecting brace include bifurcated end portions 56 which are slipped over respectively positioned hooked braces 16. No fasteners are employed to secure the bifurcated end portions 56 and the hook braces 16 together. Rather,

the engagement therebetween is assured by the downward weight of the connecting brace. Further, the brace 54 is positioned above the bifurcated end portions 50 of the vertical braces 48 so that the downward sliding travel of the connecting brace 54 is limited when engagement between the bifurcated end portions 56 of the connecting brace and the bifurcated end portions 50 of the vertical braces occurs.

Rigidification between the vertical braces 48 and the hooked braces 16 is achieved by employing horizontally disposed cross braces 58 connected between an intermediate section of each vertical brace and the hooked end portion of respectively positioned brace 16. One bifurcated end portion 60 of each cross brace 58 is connected to the apertured intermediate section of the vertical brace 48, the latter having apertures 62 formed therein. The connection is effected by inserting a swivel lockpin 36, through the horizontal cross and vertical braces in the manner previously described. The opposite end of the horizontal cross braces 58 includes a bifurcated end portion 64 which is connected to the hooked end portion 18 of brace 16 with a swivel lockpin in the typical manner.

Referring to FIG. 5, the outward underside end portion of the bifurcated end portion 64 is seen to be arcuately formed so that the contoured portion 66 thereof is maintained in near adjacent contact with roof 12. If the contoured end portion were replaced with a squared-off portion instead, the bifurcated end portion 64 could engage the roof surface 12 and cause an upward displacement of the hook brace 16 thereby defeating the advantageous frictional engagement between the hook brace and the roof surface.

In order to support workmen on the staging, a platform 70 is positioned across the parallel spaced cross braces 58. The platform may comprise individual plank members or a solid floor.

Additional stabilization between the vertical braces 48 is achieved by use of a stabilizing brace 76 connected at the outward end thereof to the upper portion 72 of the vertical braces 48. As in previous instances, the outward ends of the stabilizing brace 76 include bifurcated end portions 74 for engaging the lateral sides of the vertical braces which are parallel to the apex of the roof 12. A bore is formed through each end portion 72 to accommodate a swivel lockpin 36.

In order to further rigidify the connection between the stabilizing brace 76 and the vertical braces 48, apertures 78 are formed adjacent the bifurcated end portions 74. Apertures 80 are also formed in the lower end portions of the vertical braces 48. Cross rods 82 extend between the apertures 78 and 80 in crosswise relation as clearly seen in FIG. 1. Referring to FIG. .2, there will be seen the end portions of each cross rod which include integrally attached swivel lockpin structures 84 substantially identical to the swivel structure of the aforementioned lockpins 36.

Referring to FIG. 6, an extension structure generally indicated by reference numeral 86 is seen to be connected to the aforementioned described staging thereby oifering additional security when needed. In essence, the extension includes an extension brace 88 connected to the downward end of brace 16 by means of a bifurcated end portion directly connected to brace 16 as indicated by 90. The connection is effected by a swivel lockpin 36. A second vertical brace 92 having a lower bifurcated end 94 is retained in adjacent parallel relation to an associated first mentioned vertical brace 48. The connection between the second vertical base 92 and the extension brace 88 is effected with a swivel lockpin 36. The upper ends of adjacently positioned vertical braces 48 and 92 are connected by a connecting brace 96 having bifurcated end portions 98 securing the upper end portions of the adjacent vertical braces by means of swivel lockpins.

In summary, the present invention provides staging which is mainly comprised of component brace members fabricated from lightweight metal material. Swivel lockpins are provided for quickly connecting the brace members together so as to provide support for workmen for performing a job on a building structure. The described non-slip pads engage the roof structure and prevent downward displacement of the staging.

Although the present embodiment has been described in terms of a staging for a downwardly inclined roof, it will be apparent in light of this discussion that the angular relationship between the braces may be modified so that the platform of the present invention is disposed perpendicularly to a vertical wall. In such a case, the parallel space braces 16 would be retained in adjacent disposition with respect to the vertical wall and the hooked end would be positioned to frictionally engage a horizontal roof structure.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A scaffold for use on a slant roof and adapted for rapid assembly and disassembly comprising a plurality of inclined braces disposed against a slant roof, the upper end of each brace being hook-shaped and overlying the roof peak, a clevis pivotally connected to the hook end by a removable swivel pin, the clevis having a non-slip member bearing against the roof for securing the brace, vertical braces being removably connected at their lower bifurcated ends to the inclined braces, each bifurcated end embracing an intermediate portion of an associated inclined brace, a swivel pin connecting the bifurcated end and the intermediate portion, a slip-on member connecting the inclined braces, a stabilizing brace removably connected by swivel pins to the vertical braces, crisscrossed rods having swivel pins at their ends being removably connected between the stabilizing brace and the vertical braces, the cross-brace connected at opposite swivel pin ends between a vertical brace and a point near the hook end of an associated inclined brace, and a platform disposed atop the cross-brace to support weight thereon.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 429,427 6/1890 Dearborn 182-45 718,602 1/1903 Chase 18245 1,961,967 6/1934 Goranson 182-179 3,217,449 11/1965 Levere 182---178 FOREIGN PATENTS 540,763 5/1957 Canada. 651,175 3/ 1951 Great Britain.

REINALDO P. MACHADO, Primary Examiner 

